Simply Remember
by pandorabox82
Summary: As Bernie and and Serena celebrate a relaxed Christmas together, a special present reminds them both to simply remember the good times that they have together.


She might have gotten away with it, Bernie mused as she watched Serena start to look at their tree oddly, the string of lights that she always cursed at for being too difficult to untangle. It was tied around her hands, and the look of rage filled curiosity on her face sent a shiver of desire rushing down Bernie's spine. That was, until the next little whimper sounded from beneath the tree, and that laser focused gaze was turned upon her.

"Just what did you do, Berenice?"

A sheepish smile spread across her lips as she shrugged and shuffled over to the sofa, taking a seat next to Jason, and hoping that he wouldn't spill the beans. They had both agreed to say nothing to Serena until the moment she opened the gift Bernie had gotten her. Still, Jason had to purse his lips to keep from giggling, and Bernie nodded to him. "You have a very special gift waiting for you, Serena. But you can't do anything about it until you have the lights on the tree."

Serena rolled her eyes as she thrust her arms out at her. "Then untangle these blasted things already! I knew that I should have come home earlier than this, in order to prepare for the holiday season. Ugh." Bernie chuckled a little as she beckoned her partner to come closer. As soon as she was in front of her, Bernie searched out the end of the strand of lights and quickly began to untangle them.

"Jason, why don't you take hold of this end whilst I look for the other?" Bernie said as she held out the plug to him. He took hold of it and got off the sofa, heading towards the tree as Bernie began work through the other end, quickly setting Serena's hands free. "All right, take a seat on the sofa, and Jason and I will finish this up, and put the tinsel up, and then you may find out what that noise was."

Serena gave her a look, but she just shook her head a little, hoping that the dog they had picked out at the rescue would be able to not mess for as long as it took her and Jason to finish dressing the tree. And she hoped that her little surprise was well received by Serena, since they hadn't really discussed the idea of pets with each other. Even if she knew that it would be good for Jason in the long run. "Make certain that you alternate between gold and silver tinsel. I like the look of that rather than just one single colour."

"Yes, darling," Bernie replied, giving Jason a long-suffering look as they continued to string the lights around the tree. Once that task was complete, they quickly worked in tandem to get the tinsel on to Serena's standards, and as she finished winding the last bit of garland, Jason picked up the hat box containing the tiny dog they had picked out a few days ago and carried it over to Serena's side, holding it out unceremoniously.

"You can't tell us no, we already paid a lot of money for this present. She's not going to be returned."

"She?" Serena asked, cocking her head to one side as she regarded Bernie carefully. "Just what did you do?"

"Open the box and find out, Serena," she whispered as she loped over to the sofa and sank to the floor, looking up into her partner's eyes. Serena gave her a small smile as she hooked her fingers around the lip of the lid and yanked it off in one smooth move. The small bundle of fur that Bernie had fallen in love with at the shelter. "Isn't she lovely?"

"I've seen rats bigger than this ball of fuzz," she muttered as she lifted the dog out of the box, pulling it close to her chest as she petted it gently. "Does she at least have a name? I can't keep thinking of her as Rattie."

Jason let out a loud laugh, which seemed to startle the dog, since she burrowed in closer to Serena's neck and whimpered loudly. "I think it's going to take time for Sian to get used to how loud we both are, Jason."

"Sian? You named our dog _Sian_?"

Bernie shook her head, trying to think about what had set Serena off with that name. And then, it hit her Serna's best friend was named Sian. "I promise, no, it was not my choice. The family that gave her up to the shelter said her name was Sian."

"And seeing as how she already knows that name, it would be hard to change it midstream, so to say. Oh, Sian is going to love this!" Serena chuckled richly as she started to cuddle the dog close to her. "I suppose that she is adorable, though. Is she for all of us?"

"Yes. Auntie Bernie thought it would be good that we have a comfort dog, since we've been through so much lately. And if it works out well for our family, I think that I might suggest it to Mister Hanssen and Ms MacMillan. Nurse Harrison doesn't seem like a dog person, though. But I suppose that it wouldn't hurt to give her the suggestion as well."

Serena nodded, and Bernie could see tears start to pool in her eyes. "Hey, what is it?"

"I think Sian has to go out," she said, her voice thick. Getting to her feet, Serena stumbled out to the kitchen, and Bernie was quick to jump up after her, wanting to find out what was bothering her before she had completely shut them out. By the time she joined Serena, her partner was already opening the door, ready to head out into the cold air without a coat.

"At least wear some shoes, if you aren't going to put on a sweater," she said lowly as she grabbed her hoodie and shrugged into it, pulling the ties tightly closed in order to keep in as much warmth as possible.

"I have slippers on," Serena replied as she stepped outside. Bernie shivered with the cold, and shook her head a little as she followed after her partner. "You don't have to come out in the cold with me, Bernie. There's no need for both of us to be freezing tonight."

"No, Serena, I'll stay with you. I'll always stay with you."

"That's one of the reasons that I love you, darling."

Bernie closed the distance between them and slung her arm low around Serena's hips, holding her close as Sian did her business. "It's going to be weird going back to the hospital with so many familiar faces gone. Even Morven's thinking about going to London with Cam, and it seems like everything is turning to dust around us."

"But I know that as long as I have you by my side, things will turn out fine." Serena turned her face and pressed her lips against Bernie's cheek. "Even if you have to head back for one last time to Sudan. I worry about you."

"I know you do, but that makes our calls all the sweeter. And now you'll have a little puppy to keep your bed warm whilst I'm gone."

"This little ball of fuzz is nothing compared to the heat that you give off," Serena purred, and this time the shivers that coursed through Bernie's body had nothing to do with the cold. "All I have to do is simply remember that there is nothing in the world that can separate us, completely. Because no one is ever truly gone."

"I knew that I should never have taken you to see the new Star Wars movie," Bernie said as she tried to lighten the tone of their conversation a little.

"Oh, I don't know about that, Bernie. I was reminded of you whenever I saw a certain purple haired admiral onscreen."

"And you are small like General Leia."

"Hey!" Serena reached out and gently smacked her. "I'm not that short!"

"No, but you are just as adorable." Serena looked up at her, making certain to catch her gaze before rolling her eyes and picking Sian back up. "Serena?"

"I'm heading back in, I'm freezing my nipples off!" Bernie laughed loudly as she followed her partner back in the house, heading into the living room without taking her hoodie off, since she was frozen to the bone from her short time outside. "All right, Jason, since this is the family dog, do you want to take care of Sian while Bernie and I head upstairs to warm up?"

"That will be fine, Auntie Serena." Jason took the dog from her hands, and then Serena was turning and wrapping her arms around Bernie and kissing her softly. "Don't stay up too late now. We have to finish decorating the tree in the morning before I head in for my shift!"

"Yes, Jason, we'll be good. After all, Santa only leaves presents for good girls and boys."

And before Jason could comment on the fact that Santa wasn't real, Serena turned them and guided Bernie over to the staircase, whispering her ear all the deliciously naughty things that she wanted to do with and to Bernie the moment they got into the bedroom. And she was certain that her Serena was giving Bernie something to remember her by when she spent her last few months in Sudan, before she came home to her love more permanently.


End file.
